By Wariso Wariso
As the local government council elections for October 5,2023, is around the corner, the people’s Democratic party, PDP, in RIvers state embarked on a peaceful protest on Thursday, October 3, 2024, to the DSS and the state command to submit their petitions for the local government council elections not to hold.
The protesters who were mobilized from the various wards across the 23 local government areas of Rivers state, numbering hundreds of thousands of the people’s Democratic party, PDP and their supporters hit the Aba Road axis of port Harcourt from the state secretariat of the people’s Democratic party to the office of the DSS and the state police command Moscow.
Among prominent PDP party fatefuls leading the intimidating crowd of the party members were former local government Chairmen across the 23 local government areas of Rivers state, State P.d.p chairman,Hon. Aaron Chukwuemeka, Former Chief of State to Chief Barr Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, Chief Engr. Emeka Woke, Former and present Rivers State House of Assembly members,P.d.p party stalwarts and party fatefuls as well as p.d.p former political office holders.
Speaking at the state police headquarters,Moscow road, port Harcourt, State Chairman of the people’s Democratic party, PDP Hon. Aaron Chukwuemeka, called on the police and other security agencies to ensure the enforcement of a court order, allegedly barring the conduct of the local government council elections.
Hon. Aaron Chukwuemeka explained the reason for the protest.
He said,” we are here to submit a petition to you from the people’s Democratic party,( PDP) , led by me.attached to this letter is a court order and the judgement of the Federal High Court, dated, September 30,2024.
” In that order, it was expressly stated that INEC should not provide them with the voter register and security agencies were instructed not to participate in the election.
” As law-abiding citizens, we believe in justice, equity and the rule of law. That is why we are here to tell you that the Governor and RSIEC should obey the court judgement”. Aaron said.
According to him , no one is above the law.As a party,we are not going to participate and if they go ahead with the election and crisis ensues, we will not stand by idly. That is why we are pleading with the security agencies to stop them from holding the election”.
In his response, the Deputy Commissioner of police, in charge of operations, Adepoju Olugbenga, who received the protesters on behalf of the State Commissioner of police, Olatunji Disu, thanked the protesters for conducting the protest peacefully and orderly.